Have epic proportions but it’s still full of soul and warmth

Designer Laura Santos brought life and soul to a former industrial space, which is now a cosy, chic family abode

PHOTOGRAPHY Björn Wallander STYLING

WORDS

We know how to party and love to have friends over,’ she says. In normal times, the holidays involve a big celebration. ‘We usually throw a big party, extending the table for as many as 20 guests, but it’s not about sitting down and being formal, it’s more about the food, the drinks and the music. I love aesthetics, so I want everything to look pretty, but I think it’s more important for a dinner party to have soul.’

Like her dinner parties, Laura has always placed a strong emphasis on the word ‘soul’ when it comes to the loft she shares with her partner and two children. When first faced with the vast, empty space that was to become her home, Laura was awed and daunted in equal measure. ‘The incredible size of the windows and height of the ceiling appeared to me as a beautiful canvas to work on, but I knew the space would be difficult to furnish because of its scale,’ she says. Her first experience of loft living, Laura saw her mission as bringing both functionality and warmth to the space.

Built in 1929, the four-storey building had once been a car park and is located in the district of Soho. Rooted in the inner fabric of the city, from the windows the rhythm of New York’s Lower Manhattan life is hard to miss. ‘We had already been living in New York for a long time and I love this downtown neighbourhood,’ says Laura. ‘The views bring in a strong element of the city. I can

New York-based interior designer Laura Santos and her partner who live here with their son and daughter.

THE PROPERTY

A large, loft-style apartment in New York’s Soho district. It has a spacious living area that includes the kitchen, pantry, breakfast space and dining and sitting areas. There is also a media room, cloakroom, master bedroom with walk-in wardrobe and en-suite bathroom, plus two further bedrooms and bathrooms.

hear everything from the street. We looked at many other properties, but when I saw this apartment I realised there was so much potential. I knew I could make a home here.’

Laura and her partner embarked on a gut renovation over two years, creating bedrooms that are contained, private spaces in contrast to the massive living area that acts as the beating heart of family life. ‘I wanted to warm up the space with the natural materials of stone and wood,’ explains Laura. ‘I needed to work out how to fill it while also leaving its sense of openness.’

Responding to the epic proportions, Laura chose large, sculptural furnishings that would articulate each function of the room. ‘In the main space, the sofas, dining table and Sputnik light fitting became the anchors. The stone I chose for the fireplace was a risk as I feared it may be too loud, but once in place its tonality worked beautifully, bringing just the right amount of colour to fit in with the scheme. Bookshelves and art were another vital component in adding a sense of cosiness and identity. Crucial for Laura’s appetite for entertaining, the kitchen features a concealed butler’s pantry that contributes to effortless hosting, allowing dinner-party debris to be swept up and hidden in a few deft movements.

Dividing space was another way that Laura brought her balancing touch to the 4,000-square-foot apartment. A breakfast nook is contained by a horizontal shelving unit backing onto the low sofa of the reading area, which marks a natural transition into the more relaxed section of the loft. Laura dressed windows with light fabric, the narrow black rails responding to the steel frames. ‘The original black metal is incredible,’ says Laura. ‘The age and patina are a huge part of the beauty of the space.’ A finely tuned combination of seductive informality and stylish edge, this loft exactly matches its owner’s style of hosting.

X